Stephen A. Smith Suspended One Week By ESPN For “Provocation” Comments

Stephen A. Smith. (Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)

(CBS) ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith has been suspended for one week from “First Take” and ESPN Radio following his insensitive comments about domestic violence.



In discussing the Ray Rice domestic abuse case last Friday on First Take, Smith implied that the focus should be shifted to include the “provocation” that leads to such incidents. It created a firestorm of criticism, including from colleague Michelle Beadle.

Smith called it “the most egregious error” of his career. He added that in no way did he mean to imply that such incidents are a woman’s fault.